Syco Entertainment Announces Appointment of Ben Todd as Head of Media UK

LONDON, March 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Syco Entertainment today announces the appointment of Ben Todd as Head of Media UK.

In this comprehensive role, Ben will be responsible for Syco Entertainment's public relations and media-related activity in the UK. This role encompasses Syco's music and television properties including The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent, Red or Black and the recently announced unnamed DJ and new cooking formats.  

Ben is appointed following more than two years at The Daily Mail as a senior showbusiness journalist and three years at the Sunday Mirror as Assistant Editor (Showbusiness). Between 2007 and 2009 Ben was editor of men's weekly lifestyle magazine Zoo. Previously, Ben was Group Showbusiness Editor at The Northern and Shell Media Group working across the Express Newspapers' titles including the Daily Star and Daily Express having previously been the pop columnist on the Daily Star. Ben is currently nominated for Showbiz Journalist of the Year at The British Press Awards.

Charles Garland, COO of Syco Entertainment, said: "I am delighted Ben is joining Syco. He has a great deal of press experience to bring to the Syco team and his appointment is part of the exciting growth plans we have for the company."

Ben Todd said: "I am really thrilled to be joining Syco at such an exciting time for the company. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Daily Mail - but believe now is the right time in my career to take up this very different challenge."   

Ben's appointment was made by Syco's COO Charles Garland and Global Head of Media, Ann-Marie Thomson.  He will join Syco on April 10.

About SYCO ENTERTAINMENT

Syco Entertainment is leading global music, television, film and digital production and exploitation company. Syco is a joint venture between Simon Cowell and Sony Music Entertainment, with offices in London and Los Angeles.Syco's television and music assets include leading global franchises The X Factor and Got Talent, as well as artists such as Leona Lewis, Susan Boyle, Il Divo, Cher Lloyd, One Direction & Labrinth.  

The X Factor launched in 2004 in the UK. Airing on ITV1, The X Factor has been the number one show in the UK for eight years, with the 2010 finale achieving a peak of 21.2 million viewers, and a 65% share. The 2011 finale, held at Wembley Arena in front of a live audience of 12,000, was the most watched TV show of the year, with a bigger audience than the Royal Wedding. Local versions of The X Factor launched in the US in fall 2011, on Fox, immediately becoming the number one unscripted show of the season.  The X Factor also gave Fox victory in the November "sweep" among adults aged 18 to 49 for only the second time in the network's history. The US version airs in 162 countries. Local versions of The X Factor are now produced in more than 35 territories. Around the world, The X Factor has increased the average demographic for many broadcasters by up to 250%. In Denmark, it has been the number one show for the last four years, peaking with an 80% share of the audience. In Colombia, it has consistently ranked number one, with a 75% share of the audience. In countries such as Greece, Hungary, The Netherlands, France and Italy, The X Factor consistently delivers a 50% to 65% share of viewing audiences.

Artists discovered by The X Factor format have sold more than 100 million records worldwide, including 110 number ones, 270 top 10, and 501 top 50 releases.

Got Talent launched in the USA in 2006, as America's Got Talent, reawakening the nation's passion for variety entertainment and becoming an award-winning ratings hit across the globe. In the US, America's Got Talent has been the highest-rated series on NBC for the last four seasons, reaching average audiences of up to 16.4 million viewers. The 2011 series achieved the highest-rated launch of the show's six seasons so far. The US version airs in 125 countries. Britain's Got Talent launched in the UK in 2007, on ITV1, immediately becoming the nation's highest-rated new entertainment programme of the year, with a peak audience of 11.6 million viewers. The show has consistently beaten ITV1's prime time average audience by up to 120% for all viewers, and by up to 191% for young adults. A peak audience of 18.3 million viewers saw Susan Boyle finish a narrow second to dance troupe Diversity in the 2009 final of Britain's Got Talent. The event ranked as the UK's number one entertainment programme of the decade and the highest-rated show of 2009. The 2011 series ranked as the number one show in its time slot, beating its nearest competitor by an astonishing 500% for all viewers.

Local versions of the show have been produced in 49 territories so far.  Around the world, China's Got Talent delivered a record-breaking 575 million viewers for the 2011 final, while Australia's Got Talent was the most watched show on Australian television in 2011. In countries such as Denmark, Norway, Sweden and The Netherlands, Got Talent has boosted broadcasters' prime time audience shares by as much as 304%.

Media Contact: Ann-Marie Thomson. Global Head of Media. Syco Entertainment.
Ann-marie.thomson@sonymusic.com +13104351034 (US) +447849894877 (UK)